James s



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES S. HOLMES, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

RElN-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,953, dated August23, 1881.

Application filed J mm 27, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, JAMES S. HOLMES, a citizen of the United States,residing in Buffalo, in Erie county, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rein-Holders, of whichthe following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a convenient and ready meansfor holding the reins securely, capable of adjustment to any pitch ofdash-board to which it may be fastened; and it consists of a springformed of one or two pieces rigidly connected to a body or support, andextending therefiom so as to curve outward from each side, then upwardand in toward each other, until they meet and form two straight yieldingsurfaces extending downward and slightly forward within the two curvedportions, between which the reins may be easily placed or taken out, incombination with an adjusting device for fastening it to the dash-boardor adjusting it to any pitch of the same, as will be more clearlyhereinafter shown by reference'to the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is afront or face view,showingthe form of the springs, and also, by dottedlines, their position when separated by the reins when placed betweenthem. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, in section,through line XX, Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a side elevation, showing the clamping device adjusted to adifferent angle. Fig. 4 is a top view of the springs; and Fig. 5represents a section through a portion of the springs and the body towhich they are fastened, and the mode of fastening them.

The spring consists of two curved portions, A A, made of steel or othersuitable material, and arranged so as to form the two straight portionsor a, between which the reins are placed and held securely, whenrequired, the springs being forced apart in the direction of (No model.)

the dotted lines a a when so used. (See Fig. 1.) These springs may bemade either in one or two pieces, as shown in Fig. 5. They are arrangedin the mold so that the metal will flow around them while casting, whichoperation fastens them rigidly in place to the body B.

The part or body B isjointed by a bolt, 0, to the clam ping-jaw D, andthe lower portion, B, is provided with two or more notches, E, (see Fig.2,) into which the end of one of the clamping-jaws F is inserted, and isheld to the opposite clam ping-jaw, D, by a screw, G, which holds allthe parts together rigidly and secure, and to the dash-board. It isobvious that by this atrangement the device may be adjusted to any pitchof the dash-board by using either of the notches E.

Those portions of the springs marked a a are made to incline outward atthe bottom, atf, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) so that when the reins are placedbetween them and drawn forward in the direction of the arrow 9 (see Fig.4) the edges twill turn or inclinein toward each other and clasp thereins more tightly.

The operation of theinvention will be clearly understood from theforegoing description and accompanying drawings.

Of course it will be seen that the part B may have only one notch, E, ifdesired, but it would not answer the purpose so well.

I claim as my invention The springs A A, having the holding parts a a,and the body B, provided with the part B, having notches E, incombination with the jaw D, jaw D, and tightening-screw G, as and forthe purposes specified.

JAMES S. HOLMES.

Witnesses:

JAMES SANGSTER, A. J. SANGSTER.

